iPhones Flying High: Make Up 2/3 Of In-Flight Wi-Fi Users - MacRumorsOpen MenuShow RoundupsShow Forums menuVisit ForumsOpen Sidebar
Skip to Content

iPhones Flying High: Make Up 2/3 Of In-Flight Wi-Fi Users

by

gogo
iPhones make up close to two-thirds of mobile devices using Gogo's inflight Wi-Fi service, according to All Things Digital. iPod touch devices cover another 20%, while Android makes up just 12% of devices using Gogo.

BlackBerries account for 6 percent while Windows Mobile and other mobiles aren't used enough to count.

AllThingsD notes the iPad isn't included in the mobile numbers. Mobile devices pay slightly lower charges than larger devices like tablets and laptops do. Though, the iPad is popular too, clocking in with more than a third of larger devices. Windows as a whole counted as 41% and Macs just under 20%.

Top Rated Comments

*LTD* Avatar
198 months ago
If plane tickets were free you'd see Android ruling the skies.
Score: 27 Votes (Like | Disagree)
198 months ago
Why iPhone over Android?

The answer is simple. Uptake on wifi enabled flights are driven by 2 key things: 1. The length of the flight >3 hours 4-7x the number of activations vs. lengths of flights < 3 hours.
2. The airline. Virgin has a "hipper" demographic than say - Delta. (Delta also flies a lot of flights < 3 hours. So even when Delta flies 4x the number of wifi enabled flights - Virgin actually sells more activations. People that fly Virgin also have a larger % of iPhones than Androids.

So what do these two things have to do with iPhone vs. Android? The obvious choice: There are more iPhones in corporate America than Androids. Business flyers expense the activation fee or have a subscription (if they fly a lot). But wait you say - if this is true then Blackberry would be leading the pack. Ever try to use the internet on a Blackberry? On a plane flying at 550 mph? 'nuff said.

So it isn't that iPhone usage is higher than Android - it's just that people that buy wifi on flights - tend to be iPhone users. Or - another thought - iPhone users are use to paying for their apps - so iPhones users just spend more money than Android users.

TW

The issue with this logic is that it appears in every usage statistic I've seen. WiFi connections in restaurants, website traffic, app buying, etc. iPhone users just seem to be much more active in using their devices.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
NebulaClash Avatar
198 months ago
If plane tickets were free you'd see Android ruling the skies.

Oh no you didn't! :)

Heh, it's so funny how we get story after story about Android's dominance when it comes to activation or total sales or sheer number of devices. But when it comes to usage, it's iOS that rules the world. What is it with these millions of Android users who don't use their devices to go online? Are they just asking for a "smart" phone, handed an Android, and thereafter only use the phone function with, maybe, the address book app?
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
198 months ago
If plane tickets were free you'd see Android ruling the skies.

Roger that.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
198 months ago
Why iPhone over Android?

The answer is simple. Uptake on wifi enabled flights are driven by 2 key things: 1. The length of the flight >3 hours 4-7x the number of activations vs. lengths of flights < 3 hours.
2. The airline. Virgin has a "hipper" demographic than say - Delta. (Delta also flies a lot of flights < 3 hours. So even when Delta flies 4x the number of wifi enabled flights - Virgin actually sells more activations. People that fly Virgin also have a larger % of iPhones than Androids.

So what do these two things have to do with iPhone vs. Android? The obvious choice: There are more iPhones in corporate America than Androids. Business flyers expense the activation fee or have a subscription (if they fly a lot). But wait you say - if this is true then Blackberry would be leading the pack. Ever try to use the internet on a Blackberry? On a plane flying at 550 mph? 'nuff said.

So it isn't that iPhone usage is higher than Android - it's just that people that buy wifi on flights - tend to be iPhone users. Or - another thought - iPhone users are use to paying for their apps - so iPhones users just spend more money than Android users.

TW

Book a flight based on how hip the airline is? :confused:
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
198 months ago
It's All About Affluence

If plane tickets were free you'd see Android ruling the skies.

That's right. Android may be more prevalent, but that's only because it's cheaper, not better. What these statistics tell me is that, for those that can afford to choose, they choose an iOS device. Flying's not just for the rich, but if you're flying and you're also dropping the coin on the WIFI fee, etc. there's a good chance you can afford whatever mobile device you want, and it would seem that's an iOS device.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

Home Hub Command Center with Dome Base Feature

Apple Smart Home Hub to Feature iMac G4-Style Design

Wednesday September 30, 2026 4:36 am PDT by
Apple's long-rumored smart home hub will have an iMac G4-style design and a host of unique features, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reports. The smart home hub is said to feature a square 6-inch display, with variants that can be placed on a countertop or mounted on a wall. It features a single FaceTime camera on the front, with microphones and speakers in its connected base. Gurman described the...
Apple TV Sans Remote Feature

New Apple TV 4K Leaked

Friday September 25, 2026 8:16 am PDT by
MacRumors contributor Aaron Perris has uncovered an image file from Apple for an unreleased Apple TV 4K, suggesting that a new model will finally be released soon. The image is specifically for an "Apple TV 4K (4th generation)" model. Apple TV 4K (4th generation) image (on a gradient) The image reveals that the Apple TV will have the same external design as the current model, with all of its...
HomePod minis on gradient feature 1 1

Three New Apple Smart Home Products Coming on October 13

Wednesday September 30, 2026 4:04 am PDT by
Apple plans to introduce a series of new smart home products on Tuesday, October 13, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Apple reportedly plans to debut its long-awaited smart home hub device, a new HomePod mini, and a new Apple TV on the date. The new HomePod mini and Apple TV are set to retain their existing designs, but tout faster chips to support Siri AI. The new HomePod mini will...
Latest Stories
Apple's Smart Home Hub: Everything We Know So Far
Apple's Smart Home Hub: Everything We Know So Far
3 hours ago
Apple's Home Hub Borrows From the iPhone Duo's StandBy Mode
Apple's Home Hub Borrows From the iPhone Duo's StandBy Mode
4 hours ago
Apple Invites App Updated With Three New Features
Apple Invites App Updated With Three New Features
8 hours ago
Apple Event on October 13?
Apple Event on October 13?
9 hours ago
Apple Watch SE 3 vs. Series 12 Buyer's Guide: Which Should You Buy?
Apple Watch SE 3 vs. Series 12 Buyer's Guide: Which Should You Buy?
11 hours ago
iPad Mini 8 to Offer These 10 New Features
iPad Mini 8 to Offer These 10 New Features
11 hours ago
DoorDash Unveils AI Food Ordering Through Apple's Messages App
DoorDash Unveils AI Food Ordering Through Apple's Messages App
12 hours ago
Amazon Takes Up to $150 Off Select M5 MacBook Air Models
Amazon Takes Up to $150 Off Select M5 MacBook Air Models
12 hours ago
Apple Still Plans to Release a New Full-Sized HomePod
Apple Still Plans to Release a New Full-Sized HomePod
14 hours ago
Apple Working to Expand HomeKit
Apple Working to Expand HomeKit
15 hours ago
Apple Smart Home Hub to Feature iMac G4-Style Design
Apple Smart Home Hub to Feature iMac G4-Style Design
15 hours ago
Three New Apple Smart Home Products Coming on October 13
Three New Apple Smart Home Products Coming on October 13
16 hours ago
Apple Pay Now Available in India With Axis Bank Cards
Apple Pay Now Available in India With Axis Bank Cards
1 day ago
OpenAI Launches Always-On 'Dots' Agents to Rival Meta's Muse
OpenAI Launches Always-On 'Dots' Agents to Rival Meta's Muse
1 day ago
AirPods 5 Teardown: Batteries Removable, Case Still Tough
AirPods 5 Teardown: Batteries Removable, Case Still Tough
1 day ago
iPhone 18 Pro Owners Complain of Speaker Crackling or Popping
iPhone 18 Pro Owners Complain of Speaker Crackling or Popping
1 day ago
You Can 'Get Ready' for iPhone Duo Pre-Orders on October 12
You Can 'Get Ready' for iPhone Duo Pre-Orders on October 12
1 day ago
Apple Pay Reportedly Launching in India Today
Apple Pay Reportedly Launching in India Today
1 day ago
Apple Releases New AirPods Beta Firmware
Apple Releases New AirPods Beta Firmware
1 day ago
Apple Shares New Guide for Using iOS 27 Parental Controls
Apple Shares New Guide for Using iOS 27 Parental Controls
1 day ago
Apple Creator Studio and Final Cut Camera Get New Features
Apple Creator Studio and Final Cut Camera Get New Features
1 day ago
Apple Explains Why It Removed ICE Tracking Apps Last Year
Apple Explains Why It Removed ICE Tracking Apps Last Year
1 day ago
Amazon Expands $779.99 Apple Watch Ultra 4 Deal to More Models
Amazon Expands $779.99 Apple Watch Ultra 4 Deal to More Models
1 day ago
Switch Siri AI for ChatGPT on Your Mac
Switch Siri AI for ChatGPT on Your Mac
1 day ago
Apple Says Emergency SOS via Satellite Now Available in Norway
Apple Says Emergency SOS via Satellite Now Available in Norway
1 day ago
AppleCare Guide: Is it Worth Paying For?
AppleCare Guide: Is it Worth Paying For?
1 day ago
Apple Reportedly Planned to Replace 5,000 Support Employees With AI
Apple Reportedly Planned to Replace 5,000 Support Employees With AI
1 day ago
Apple Planning to Launch Products Faster and More Often
Apple Planning to Launch Products Faster and More Often
1 day ago
Amazon Discounting New Mac Mini and Mac Studio Alongside Early Prime Day Deals on Monitors
Amazon Discounting New Mac Mini and Mac Studio Alongside Early Prime Day Deals on Monitors
2 days ago
New Apple TV 4K Hinted at in Support Document
New Apple TV 4K Hinted at in Support Document
2 days ago

🔗 Related Apple News & Rumors

Stay updated with the latest Apple ecosystem news and verified rumors